Thursday, September 30 2021

Week 26 in Ordinary Time

St Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church (Memorial)

1st Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7-12

Ezra gets his people to renew their loyalty to God and to share their gifts

In the seventh month all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherbiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Responsorial: Psalm 18:8-11

R./: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple. (R./)
The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
it gives light to the eyes. (R./)
The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just. (R./)
They are more to be desired than gold,
than the purest of gold
and sweeter are they than honey,
than honey from the comb. (R./)

Gospel: Luke 10:1-12

Jesus sends out the seventy-two disciples to announce the reign of God

The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Eve the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.”

Where’s the hurry?

There’s an urgency in today’s readings, calling on people to choose their basic purpose in life. Ezra gathers all the people, even the teenagers (children old enough to understand), to hear God’s will for his people, through the Torah received by Moses. Then Jesus sends out the seventy-two disciples with no provisions, but with an urgent mission to announce that God is near. While these texts share a call to decision, they part company what they say about what lies in store. Ezra foresees a long stretch of history on earth. He tries to prepare his people by renewing the covenant of Israel, based on God’s written law, while Jesus predicts that human hopes would soon be fulfilled in the reign of God.
We need both perspectives, both making a fundamental option, and doing some planning for the future. Jesus told his messengers, “If the people of any town you enter do not welcome you, move on.” Facing choices in life we may have time to think, and then like Ezra to carefully prepare for the future. At other times there is no time for reflection and we need to choose instantly, such as whether to accept open-heart surgery when we find that our arteries are blocked. We may have time later to correct mistakes, or on the contrary (like the towns that rejected our Lord’s messengers,) some decisions are fixed in stone, unchangeable. For the rest of life, possibly for eternity, we must live with the consequences.
We need Ezra-like leadership in the Church, leaders we can confidently follow. He explained the book of God’s law plainly, so that all could understand it. The good Lord did not intend the Torah as a burden but as an authentic and joyful help to living. When Ezra saw the people in tears of repentance, he urged them in a friendly tone not to be gloomy, but to … eat and drink, and share with those who have nothing . Like pope Francis in our time, Ezra urged joy in their everyday life, and proposed a faithful lifestyle to last into the future. With an inspirational leadership of this kind, our Church can emerge strengthened from the scandals and loss of active members in our recent past. If we opt decisively to live under the guidance of God, we’ll have the living presence of Jesus to help us stay with that commitment.

Where are the workers?

Luke reports Jesus sending out seventy two missionaries, and telling them to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out still helpers to gather the harvest. Notice that this mission is not limited to the twelve apostles. Sharing the Lord’s ministry is not limited to a minority, clerical group; it needs many, many helpers. Because the harvest is great and varied, the more labourers the better. This is a vital message for the church today. More and more people are needed to take responsibility for sharing the spirit of Jesus, for doing the work of the Lord.
When sending out this large group, Jesus warns of the difficulties they will face. Some towns will not make them feel welcome. But whether people make them welcome or not the disciples should share something of the Christian spirit. “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” The Lord is near whether welcomed or not. Jesus continues to work in and through those who want to play their part, whether or not they are appreciated. We are challenged to do something to promote God’s kingdom of compassion and justice in our world.